Thursday, June 4, 2009

Here are a couple of great little books for the youngest readers. The Eisner nominated TINY TITANS is cute without being cutesy. This issue casts Lobo as your average obnoxious gym teacher, which is a pretty funny way to introduce his character to a new generation of readers. The only complaint is that the story is so simple you can blow through an issue inside of five minutes. Kids will surely get more out of a trade compilation. I also recommend waiting for the SUPERGIRL trade if you haven't been following the series already. It's a quirky, girly take on the character (I mean just look at that cover. It doesn't get any girlier than that. Well, maybe if they made Streaky The Superhorse a unicorn... that would be girlier) with just the right dash of drama. But issue #6 wraps up a story arc better enjoyed in one volume.

BATMAN: BRAVE & THE BOLD #4

Now here is a good stand alone issue. It's got plenty of story to make it worth a kid's time. Plus it's got a wonderfully arrogant Aquaman. If DC runs with this incarnation Aquaman may actually get the respect he deserves. The entire Brave & Bold animated series has been delivering a silver age Batman with more charm than camp. The comic does the same.

THE MUPPET SHOW #3

Oh hey, look. Another great issue of THE MUPPET SHOW. This one focuses on Gonzo The Great as Scooter attempts to find out just what exactly Gonzo is. I guess he never saw Muppets From Space, the movie which answered that question. Personally I like this issue's answer better. It's much more poignant.

THOR: TALES OF ASGARD #1

Can kids today appreciate reprints of silver age comics? If they're by Stan The Man and Jack The King, I say hells yeah. I started reading this stuff nearly twenty years after it was originally published and now my ten year old daughter totally digs the ORIGINS and SON OF ORIGINS OF MARVEL COMICS collections (not to mention BRING ON THE BAD GUYS). The bold, crazy Kirby art and Lee stories of Asgard are... dare I say it?... timeless. And it's educational too. Did you know the Earth's core is hot because Surtur the Fire Demon is trapped there by the gravity of our spinning planet? Science and Norse lore- Lee was a friggin alchemist! I have two complaints: 1) The glossy paper is all shiny and junk. Kirby's bold art and the richness of the new digital colors need the matte finish of standard newsprint. 2) The cover. Sure it's nice and all, but trust the original material to sell the book, guys! You could sell twice as many issues if you put this on the cover: